Ireland and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process which involves a periodic review of the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States.

It provides an opportunity for States to declare how they have improved the human rights situations in their countries. The UPR assesses the extent to which States respect their human rights obligations set out in:

  • the UN Charter
  • the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
  • human rights instruments to which the State is party (human rights treaties ratified by the State concerned)
  • voluntary pledges and commitments made by the State (e.g. national human rights policies and/or programmes implemented), and
  • applicable international humanitarian law.

Read the Commission’s report to the UN HRC: IHREC Submission to the Human Rights Commission under the Universal Periodic Review for Ireland, September 2015